Media releases

Dementia Australia will be hosting internationally-renowned dementia expert, Prof Dawn Brooker, for an Australian masterclass tour on person-centred care this March. Prof Brooker, Director of the University of Worcester Association for Dementia Studies UK, will embark on the tour following her keynote presentation at the ‘Dementia Australia National Symposium 2020 – Dementia care is quality care’ to be held in Sydney on 24 March 2020.

A new digital learning platform to inspire care workers to learn more about dementia will be developed by Dementia Australia over the next three years, with the support of Gandel Philanthropy. Dementia Australia CEO Maree McCabe said it was an absolute honour to have been awarded a Gandel Philanthropy multi-year Major Grant.

Wednesday 18 December 2019 The summer holidays are traditionally a time for families and friends to gather together but for people living with dementia, their families and carers, the time can be fun but challenging. To help make the most of the holidays, Dementia Australia has some tips to support people impacted by the disease.

Dementia Australia’s National Ambassador Ita Buttrose AC OBE has called on the public to sign up and get training to support the 2020 Memory Walk & Jog season.

Dementia Australia is pleased to announce the winners of Decoding Dementia 2019, an initiative to inspire the use of technology to break down barriers and support people living with dementia. The winners are: Matiu Bush for Audio Kinetic Jukebox; Nan Yu for My Dementia Companion; Nicc Johnson for Muru Music; and Anne-Louise and Mark Underwood for the MemBo Noticeboard.

Dementia Australia’s Centre for Dementia Learning has launched a new workshop, ‘A day in the life – mealtime experience’, using engaging VR technology aimed at educating aged care professionals on how they can provide a better dining experience for people living with dementia. Anthony Boffa, Acting CEO Dementia Australia said for all of us our experiences with food and mealtimes are anchor points throughout each day.

Palliative Care Australia (PCA) and Dementia Australia have partnered with the Parliamentary Friends of Palliative Care and the Parliamentary Friends of Dementia today in Parliament House Canberra to bring attention to the palliative care needs of people living with dementia. Launching a suite of resources specifically designed to ensure they meet the needs of people living with dementia, the event was attended by the Governor-General, His Excellency David Hurley, and Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley. His Excellency is Patron of Dementia Australia and Their Excellencies are joint Patrons of PCA.

A dementia-friendly design focus as part of the South Australian Repatriation General Hospital revitalisation has been welcomed by national peak body Dementia Australia. Dementia Australia CEO Maree McCabe said it was excellent to see the South Australian government commit to embedding environmentally supportive design elements for people living with dementia in the planning.

Dementia Australia welcomes the federal government’s initial action towards addressing the three priority areas identified in the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety’s Interim Report, with an urgent call for more. Dementia Australia CEO Maree McCabe said the government’s response would go some way towards meeting the shortfalls in the aged care system highlighted throughout the Royal Commission with further action needed.

Melbourne Cup winners Geoff and Sue Corrigan, half owners of Vow and Declare, today honoured the memory of Geoff’s father and two close friends by donating $50,000 to Dementia Australia. Mr Corrigan, the former Member for Camden in the NSW Parliament (2003-2011), said we wanted to give back to Dementia Australia to support people impacted and help to raise awareness in the community about dementia.

Registrations are now open for the ‘Dementia Australia National Symposium 2020 – Dementia care is quality care’, to be held in Sydney on 24 March 2020. Dementia Australia CEO Maree McCabe said the National Symposium is the next stage of the Dementia Australia Quality Care Initiative focused on raising the quality of dementia care.

Dementia Australia has welcomed the news that the pharmaceutical companies behind the development of aducanumab, an investigational treatment for the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, would pursue regulatory approval for the drug. Dementia Australia CEO Maree McCabe said the news for a future study of aducanumab following the discontinuation of global clinical trials earlier this year, was an exciting development, especially for the approximately 100 Australian trial participants who would be given the opportunity to restart taking the